Young children begin life with absolutely no fear of failure. Take learning how to walk, for example. We repeatedly failed over and over in our initial attempts, but we got back up and tried again with smiles on our faces. The same thing happened when we learned how to ride a bike. Growing up, it was through our failures that we learned how to master many of life’s challenges. Unfortunately, a lot of people forget this important life lesson as they mature into adults and begin to fear failure. As a result, they lose their zest for taking risks and trying new things which means they stop learning and growing. When this happens, their effectiveness as a person levels off as does their enthusiasm for life. What this means is that a life free of failure really isn’t much of a life at all. So, if you want to increase your chances for success and experience life more fully, take those steps, risk the falls, and see where life takes you. I guarantee you’ll be glad you did.

One Sentence Wisdom

• “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” — Robert F. Kennedy
• “It’s failure that gives you the proper perspective on success.” — Ellen DeGeneres

If you know of someone who you think would enjoy reading my Reminder, please forward it to them. Also, feel free to use this content in your own publications—newsletters, blogs, etc.